All My Loving
by Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
Summary: Tiltle: Beatles song. Collection of one-shots about Alice and Max. Read "Decembers" first if you don't know who Max is. R/R
1. Movies

**(Alice's POV)**

"Maaaaaaaaax!" I ran into our room and flopped down next to him on the couch where he was listening to his iPod. We were the only one's home. Everyone else was hunting.

He turned off the iPod and then put it in his pocket before he pulled me onto his lap. "What?" He said, finally responding.

"I'm bored," was my simple reply.

He kissed the tip of my nose. "And what do you want me to do about it."

I shrugged. "Shopping?" I asked hopefully.

He laughed. "Alice, you know I love you, right?"

I nodded and he continued. "Then don't kill me when I say you need help!"

I hit his arm and then crossed my arms over my chest, pouting like a little kid.

"Aww. Don't be mad."

I just stuck my tongue out at him. I do _not_ have a shopping addiction.

He sighed and kissed my cheek. "How 'bout a movie?" He suggested.

I thought about it. "My pick?"

"Anything you want."

I couldn't help but smile. "Ok. I forgive you. Let's go watch a movie." I got off his lap.

"What? No kiss?" He asked jokingly.

I turned back to look at him. "I knew there was something I was forgetting."

He stood up and pulled me into his arms. I snaked me arms around his neck and pulled his mouth to mine. I felt him run his tongue along my bottom lip and I opened my mouth, granting him access.

After several minutes of making out, he pulled back. "So what movie do you want to watch?"

I stepped back and grabbed his hand as we walked downstairs at a human pace.

I shrugged. "I dunno. Horror?"

He stopped in his tracks. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah." In truth, I wasn't too sure if I could really handle a horror movie. But I knew Max loved them, so I was willing to watch one.

"Okay then..." He said warily.

Fifteen minutes later I was sitting on the couch, paralyzed with fear, with a pillow clutched to my chest as I watched the horror unfold on screen. My eyes were glued to the screen, I wanted to look away but was unable to.

Max must've sensed how scared I was because he paused the movie and pulled me closer to him. "You okay?"

I shook my head and crawled onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around me protectively and planted a kiss on the top of my head. "Wanna watch something else?"

I shook my head. He was enjoying the movie. I could deal with the rest, right?

"Okay. But just let me know if you want me to turn it off."

I nodded and buried my face in the crook of his neck. As long as Max was holding me, I knew I would be okay.

It wasn't easy to tune out the movie and I flinched at the sound of every twig snapping and every scream.

Max once again paused the movie. "Are you _sure_ you don't want me to turn it off?"

I didn't answer.

He just rubbed my back gently until I did. "Okay. Maybe it _is_ too scary." My words were muffled because I still had my face pressed into his favorite faded Sex Pistols shirt.

"So what do _you_ wanna watch?"

I lifted my head off of his chest to look at him. "How 'bout 'Hairspray'?"

He smiled. "Good choice." He set me down on the couch to switch the DVDs. He was back in a second, wrapping his arm around me and pressing play.

I smiled in contentment and snuggled closer to him. I didn't even pay that much attention to the movie. But of course, it's my favorite, so that was only at first. By the second song, I was singing along and Max was smiling at me lovingly.

I stopped singing and looked at him with a huge smile. "I love you."

His smiled widened. "I love you, too."

Then he leaned down and pressed his lips against mine, and I forgot about the movie completely.

* * *

**A/N**: Ok, so most of you who voted on the poll wanted a series of one-shots so this is what I'm gonna do. and don't worry, I haven't abandoned "Decembers"! Sam's helping me write the next chapter of that right now! So don't stop reading please! Well, anyways, hope you all like this.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing except Max. And Hairspray on DVD. lol.


	2. Give Me Novacaine

**(Max's POV)**

"Jesus fucking Christ! I hate math!" I crumpled up the lined paper I had been doing my homework on. The rest of the family had it so easy. They'd already done this shit several times over.

I was still on my first time through high school. I was a junior when I was changed, never went back until just this year.

I sighed and ran a hand through my spiky, now jet black, hair.

I felt a pair of arms snake their way around my neck. I turned my head to see it was Alice.

She kissed my cheek. "How's the math going?"

"I hate it. I really fucking hate it."

"Aww. Don't hate it. It'll get easier. I promise."

I twirled the desk chair I was sitting on around and pulled Alice onto my lap.

She let out a surprised squeal but then smiled and rested her head on my shoulder.

"So what did you do all day?" I asked.

"Went shopping with Rose and Bella. What else?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh course you were shopping. Why did I even ask."

She laughed that beautiful bell-like laugh of hers. "And I also bought you these." She pulled out a pack of bass picks and a pair of new drumsticks from a bag I just noticed on the floor.

"Aww. Thanks." I kissed her. "That reminds me, I never hear you practicing drums."

She looked down. "I'm not that great."

I touched her cheek and forced her to look at me. "That's 'cause you don't practice."

"But..." She couldn't come up with an argument.

"Why don't you play something now?"

"How 'bout you go first," she shot back.

"Fair enough." She got off my lap and I stood up and slipped behind the drumset set up in the corner of the room. I pulled my iPod out of my pocket and told Alice, "Pick a song. Any song."

"'Always'"

I smiled and turned the song on full blast.

I played perfectly in sync with the song and even sang along.

First I tapped out the first beat on the rim of the snare.

_I've been here before a few times_

_And I'm quite aware we're dying_

_And your hands, they shake, with goodbyes_

_And I'll take you back if you'd have me_

I messed up a few times, but got back on track within the next measure or so.

Once the song ended, I took the earbuds out of my ears and stood up, motioning for Alice to sit behind the drumset.

She walked over slowly and sat behind the drum kit with the sticks in her hands, hitting the snare a few times timidly.

"Choke up on the sticks a little. Your hands are small."

She did what I told her to and then turned her head to look at me. "What now?"

I leaned over her with another pair of sticks and tapped out a simple beat consisting of eighth and sixteenth notes. "Try that."

She tapped out the beat softly, using the bass drum as a metronome.

"Don't be afraid to hit the drum hard. Wider strokes," I instructed.

Alice got better and better over the course of a few hours, growing more confident.

"Think you're ready to try to play a full song?"

She looked at me, absolutely terrified. "I'm not _that_ good yet!"

"I'll pick an easy one. Don't worry," I said reassuringly.

"I'm not ready yet, Max!" She was going hysterical.

I gathered her in my arms and comforted her, sinking cross-legged to the floor behind the drumset with Alice on my lap. "Shhh. It's okay. We'll save the song for later. Shh. Calm down Alice. I'm sorry."

She sniffed. "It's not your fault."

After a few minutes of silence, I asked, "Will you at least _try_ to play along with a song?"

She shook her head defiantly, face buried in my Dead Kennedys shirt.

I sighed. "Okay. Fine. But you've gotten really good. Will you at least practice every once in awhile?"

She nodded this time.

I kissed the top of her head. "Good."

About an hour later, I found myself sitting on the couch in the living room, trying to finish my homework. I thought that maybe a new working environment would help.

It didn't. The TV was too distracting, even while off.

I let out an exasperated sigh and let my head fall back. And that's when I heard it.

The very familiar drumbeat of "Give Me Novacaine" (A/N: no, that's not a typo. That's actually how GD spells it). I stood up slowly, listening closely. It wasn't a CD. I could only faintly hear the song in the background. It was Alice. Playing drums. With a song.

I crept upstairs slowly, knowing Alice would be too caught up to pay attention to any visions to got. But if she heard me, it was all over. I would never hear her play again.

Within the next thirty seconds, I made it up to the room, where the door was left slightly ajar.

I pushed lightly on it and poked my head in.

Alice was deep in concentration, biting her bottom lip and playing along with my iPod. She looked even tinier from where I was in front of the drum kit. I could barely see her.

Yet, there she was, pouring all her energy and concentration into keeping the beat as perfectly as she possibly could, though she thought no one would ever hear her.

She started singing along with the chorus:

_Drain the pressure from the swelling_

_This sensation's overwhelming_

I joined in with her quietly at the next line:

_Give me a long kiss goodnight_

_And everything will be alright_

_Tell me that I won't feel a thing_

_So give me novacaine_

It was at least half a minute later before she noticed me standing in the doorway.

She looked up and jumped, dropping the old beat up pair of sticks she was holding and looking at me like a deer caught in the headlights.

She fumbled with the earbuds attached to my iPod and succeeded in getting them off. "Wh-what are you doing here, Max?"

"Listening to you."

"But-"

I cut her off. "That was amazing! How did you learn that so fast? I was planning on getting you to play something by Weezer, but 'Give Me Novacaine'? Wow."

She sighed. "You weren't supposed to see this." She said it so fast that if I weren't a vampire, I never would have understood her.

"Why not? What do you have to be ashamed about?"

"I messed up _so _much!" She buried her face in her hands.

I crossed the room swiftly until I was standing next to her. I touched her back lightly and she flinched. "Alice, you're amazing. And just because there are people out there who you think are better, that's only because they've been playing longer. The fact that you could play even part of 'Give Me Novacaine' in just a few hours says a lot. You're a fast learner. And you're already really good."

She looked up. "Really?"

I pulled her up so she was standing and I could pull her into my arms. "Really."

She cracked a small smile finally. "You're not just saying that?"

"Nope."

Her smile widened and she regained that sparkle in her eye.

I chuckled. "Now _this_ is the Alice I'm used to seeing."

She laughed and rested her head on my shoulder.

I don't know how long we stayed like that, but pretty soon Alice pulled back and asked, "Don't you have some homework to finish."

I sighed. "Way to ruin the moment, Alice."

She laughed that musical laugh of hers and gave me a kiss in response.

* * *

**A/N**: Here you go my -counts in head- 5 readers! XD Hope you liked it. review! Songs were "Always" by Blink-182 and "Give Me Novacaine" by Green Day. and if you're wondering how Alice managed to learn a whole song in a matter of hours, well, I've been playing drums for about 6 weeks now- 1 class a week for ½ an hour, so I figured if you combined all those ½ hours into one day, that'd be a lot of drumming. Plus, Alice is awesome and can do anything. XD

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Alice, Green Day, or Blink-182. I only own Max.


	3. I Promise, I Won't Let You Down

**(Alice's POV)**

"I need new shoes." I said randomly one day when Max and I were sitting on the couch.

He glanced down at my feet. "No you don't."

"Yes I do. The school dance is coming up!"

He laughed softly. "And what makes you think we're going?"

I looked up at him, shock and hurt written all over my face. The smile left his face. "I didn't mean it like that... I'm sorry, Alice."

"Just forget it, Max." I got off the couch and ran upstairs to our room, slamming the door.

* * *

**(Max's POV)**

"Fuck." I let my head fall forward. "Why the fuck did I say that!"

"What's wrong with, Alice?" A voice asked.

I lifted my head and saw it was Jasper. "I said something that I shouldn't have and now she hates me."

"Did it have anything to do with shoes?"

I nodded.

Just then Bella walked into the room. "Alice isn't doing so well. She's in there crying and she won't come out," she told Jasper.

"Fuck," I muttered. "I have to do something to fix this."

Bella sat down on the couch next to me. "I have an idea."

"What is it? I'll do _anything_!"

"Come on. We're going to the mall."

Bella dragged me and Jasper to the mall with her. This, to say the least, was a bit of a shocker. Alice was normally doing this.

She parked the car and then had us follow her to a small dress store.

"Ok. We're gonna split up and look for the perfect dress." She directed us where to go and then we all went in separate directions.

It was when I was looking through one of the racks when I found it. "Bella," I said, loud enough so that she would hear, but not too loud as to draw attention to myself.

She was there in a flash and I showed her my find. "It's perfect," she breathed. "Now we need accessories and shoes."

* * *

**(Alice's POV)**

It'd been three days since I last talked to Max. I'd stopped crying by the second. Now I just sat on the couch clutching my Nightmare Before Christmas throw blanket and sulking. Today was the day of the dance.

I sighed when I heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Bella."

"Come in." I got up to unlock the door before curling up on the couch again.

Bella opened the door and poked her head in. "Alice. You look awful."

I shrugged. I didn't care anymore.

"Maybe you should take a shower. It'll help, trust me."

I didn't say anything. I just stood up and walked to the bathroom.

Bella was right. The shower did help. I let the hot water run over me as I sat on the floor of the tub.

It was only when the water ran cold that I got out.

I wrapped a fluffy white towel around myself and stepped out of the shower. After I dried myself off, I put on a pair of very old, comfy ripped jeans and a baggy t-shirt before walking back to my room. I almost fell over when I saw what was on my bed.

It was a box with an envelope on top. I walked over and opened the box cautiously and gasped at what I saw. It was a dress- a _party_ dress. With heels and accessories to go with it.

I squealed and picked the dress up carefully, afraid I would rip it in my overexcited-ness. It was made of purple silk, with beaded silver straps, neckline, and empire waist.

I held it up to my body and twirled around the room before stopping to examine the shoes. They were strappy, black, four inch stilletos.

I laid the dress carefully on my bed and picked up the envelope that was stuck to the top of the box. I ripped it open and took out the handwritten letter. I recognized the messy scrawl instantly as Max's.

_Dear Alice,_

_I'm sorry for what I said to you. ( _

_I hope this makes up for it._

_Get ready and meet me downstairs by 5:00._

_Love,_

_Max_

I checked my clock and jumped. It was four thirty!

I slipped the dress on in a matter of seconds. It fit perfectly and fell to just the right length, down to my knees

The shoes were exactly my size too. I danced around in them a bit before fixing my hair and makeup at vampire speed. It was 4:59 when I was finally perfect.

I grabbed the matching clutch and slipped the gold necklace and bangles on before heading downstairs.

I stopped halfway down the staircase. I could see Max standing at the base of the stairs, looking up at me.

He was wearing a suit, not a tuxedo as most guys would be wearing (everyone always overdressed for these dances). But it worked for him. It was different, just like him. The shirt was white, the suit was black, and the tie was black with red diagonal stripes.

I noticed he was also wearing a pair of brand new traditional black and white Converse low-tops. I cracked a smile, finally noticing the difference in his hair. His usually spiky, messy hair was now styled in a totally awesome fauxhawk.

I made my way down the last set of stairs and jumped into Max's arms. He caught me and spun me around before setting me down gently. "Surprised?" He asked.

"Very." I looked into his brilliant currently blue eyes, highlighted by the black eyeliner smudged around them. "Thank you." I gave him a peck on the cheek.

He pulled me close. "You're welcome."

"I didn't think you cared."

He sighed. "I'm really sorry, Alice. I wasn't thinking. Can you forgive me."

I pulled back. "Of course. You put so much effort into redeeming yourself."

"I'll be honest. This whole idea was Bella's. But I would do _anything_ to see you smile again."

I smiled the biggest smile I could muster, which was a pretty damn big smile. "Well it worked."

He grinned. "We'd better get going. We're gonna be late." He let go of me and grabbed my hand, leading me outside to a... _limo_!

I squealed and threw my arms around his neck. "Aww. Max. You shouldn't have!"

"But I wanted to," was his reply. He held the passenger door open for me and I slid in. He got in after me.

I took a minute to examine the inside. The leather seats, the tinted windows... It was better than my Porsche. "Wow."

"You like it?"

"I love it." Suddenly something occurred to me. "Where's everyone else? Are they coming to the dance too?"

He just smiled slyly. "You'll see."

Now I was really curious. I didn't even know who was driving the limo. But I didn't ask anything else.

The driver was a vampire, that I knew, due to the fact that we were speeding down the freeway at twice the legal speed limit without getting pulled over once.

We made it to school within a few minutes. I was about to open the door to get out but Max stopped me. "Just wait."

The driver was the one to open the door and I finally saw who it was. "Carlisle??"

He smiled but didn't say anything except, "Have fun."

I got out of the car, dazed, with Max not far behind.

He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist as Carlisle sped off. Max kissed my cheek. "Ready?"

I turned my head to smile at him. "Ready."

He let go of my waist and grabbed my hand, leading me to the gym.

He pulled the tickets out of his pocket and soon we were walking into the packed gym.

Everyone fell silent as we entered. All eyes were on me.

After a few minutes of standing around awkwardly, I recognized the song playing over the sound system and squealed. "OMC! I love this song!!"

Max laughed and asked, "May I have this dance?"

"Yes."

He took my hand and led me out to the dance floor. The song playing was "I Want To Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles. Somehow I knew Jasper was controlling the music. He was obsessed with The Beatles.

Max and I danced for a few songs before he said, "Um. I have to go do something. I'll be back in a minute."

"Oh. Ok..." I was confused but just went with it.

I walked over to the sidelines and watched everyone dance while I waited for Max.

Minutes later, the music cut out and I heard someone clear their throat.

I turned my head towards the small stage that had been set up in the middle of the gym.

Max was standing there with the new pink Fender Precision bass I got him for his birthday. Jasper was just plugging in his guitar and when I looked to see who was behind the drumset, I nearly choked.

"Bella?" Since when did Bella play drums?

The gym had gone completely silent as everyone looked to see what was going on.

Max cleared his throat again. "Well... um. How's everyone tonight?"

A few people cheered.

I pushed my way through the crowd until I was right in front of Max. He caught my eye and smiled, giving me a wink. "Well we're gonna play a few songs, all of which, in some way, remind me of my girlfriend, Alice Cullen."

I looked down at the floor, embarrassed.

Bella counted off the first song and Jasper played the first chord.

Max came in with the bass riff and then stepped up to the microphone to sing.

_Yeah, my girlfriend takes me home when I'm too drunk to drive  
And she doesn't get all jealous when I hang out with the guys  
She laughs at my dumb jokes when no one does  
She brings me mexican food from Sombrero's just because  
(Yeah, just because)_

_And my girlfriend likes U.L. and D.H.C.  
And she's so smart and independent, I don't think she needs me  
Quite half as much as I know I need her  
I wonder why there's not another guy that she'd prefer_

_And when I feel like giving up  
Like my world is falling down_

_I show up at 3am  
She's still up watching Vacation, and I  
See her pretty face  
It takes me away to a better place and_

Jasper started singing backup. And it was amazing how much he actually sounded like Tom DeLonge...

_  
(I know that everything, know that everything, know that everything) Everything's gonna be fine  
(I know that everything, know that everything, know that everything) Everything's gonna be fine_

_Yeah, my girlfriend takes collect calls from the road  
And it doesn't seem to matter that I'm lacking in the bulge_

That got laughs from the whole gym. No one was really dancing, but plenty of people were jumping and screaming and some guys started a mosh pit.

All I could do was stand there and think, I have the best boyfriend in the world.

_  
She laughs at my dumb jokes when no one does  
She brings me mexican food from Sombrero's just because_

_  
(I know that everything, know that everything, know that everything) Everything's gonna be fine  
_

They finished up the song and the entire student body screamed and cheered. I heard some girl scream, "I love you Max!"

I turned to glare at whoever made the comment and Max chuckled because he saw me.

"So, you all ready to hear another song?"

More cheers.

"Ok. But first, who was that last song by?"

No one said anything.

Max rolled his eyes. "You bitches are fuckin' hopeless. C'mon! Blink-182? Ring any bells!?"

After no one responded again, he shook his head and just decided to start the next song.

He nodded at Jasper, who started playing. Then Max and Bella came in before Jasper went off on his own again.

They played that cycle a bit longer so Max could ask, "Anyone know who _this_ is??"

I screamed out, "Simple Plan!"

"Yes! That's exactly who it is!"

They went to the next part of the song with Max and Bella playing along.

_Breakdown_

_I can't take this_

_I need somewhere to go_

_I need you_

_I'm so restless_

_I don't know what to do_

_We've had our rough times_

_Been fighting all night_

_And now you're just slipping away_

_So just give me this chance_

_To make the wrongs right, to say_

_Don't, don't, don't walk away_

_I promise_

_I won't let you down, you down_

_If you take my hand tonight_

_I promise_

_We'll be just fine this time_

_If you take my hand tonight_

_If you take my hand tonight_

_Without you (I go through the motions)_

_Without you (it's just not quite the same)_

_Without you (I don't want to go out)_

_I just wanted to say_

_That I'm sick of these fights_

_I'll let you be right_

_If it stops you from running away_

_So just give me this chance_

_To make the wrongs right, to say_

_Don't, don't, don't walk away_

They went to the chorus again. Max's eyes never left mine. 

_Take my hand _ _Take my hand (I promise) _

_Take my hand (I promise) _

_Take my hand _ _GO!_

Jasper went into the solo, fingers flying across the fretboard as every girl in the room went crazy.

After the solo they went back to the chorus and Max and Jasper looked at each other before they both did guitar jumps.

They finished up the song to deafening cheers.

I was busy wondering how I hadn't seen any of this... but later just forgot about it and ran up on stage to join Max.

He set his bass down on a stand set up next to the monitors before pulling me into his arms.

I pulled back to look at him. "I'm sorry for getting mad. I overreacted."

"It's not your fault. I knew how important this was to you. I'm sorry for being such a douche to you."

We heard some guy scream, "Just fuckin' kiss her already!"

Max laughed before kissing me in front of the whole school.

The rest of the students in the gym "awwwed".

I broke the kiss and said, "Thank you, Max. I love you."

He kissed my cheek. "I love you too, Alice."

And then the teachers shooed everyone out of the gym and Max got yelled at for his "inappropriate language" earlier.

* * *

**A/N**: So... yeah, pretty long chapter here. What'd u guys think?? Songs in order were "Josie" by Blink-182 and "Promise" by Simple Plan. R/R!!

**Disclaimer**: I wish I owned at _least_ Mark Hoppus or Pierre (don't honestly know how to spell his last name), but I don't. Nor do I own any characters from Twilight or any of the songs... but I own Max!


	4. I Need A Room In A Mental Penitentiary

**Alice's POV)**

I was sitting at the computer trying to get more information about my past. I was desperate! Everyone else was so lucky, they remember their human lives! Jasper remembers the Civil War, Carlisle remembers London in the 1600s, Max remembers his life in the nineties... why can't _I_ remember _my_ human life?

I gave up after several Internet searches and only finding sites about old abandoned asylums. According to my research, there weren't even any mental institutions anywhere in Missouri!

I didn't hear Max come into the room, but I felt his presence. "Hey babe," he said, coming up behind me and planting at kiss on my cheek before asking, "What're you doing?"

"Research."

He nodded knowingly. "Still trying to figure out your human life?"

I nodded. "Apparently, there weren't even any asylums in Missouri!"

"Well, it makes sense. New York and most of the East Coast is where a lot of the asylums are..."

I turned to look at him. "How would you know that?"

He shrugged. "I was born in Boston, moved to Upstate New York when I was five, lived in Jersey for a few years, and then finally my parents decided to settle in California." (A/N: Haha. Story of my life, 'cept I only lived in Boston and Cali)

I thought about that information about asylums on the East Coast and typed in a new search. Still the same results.

Max asked me, "So, what exactly are you trying to remember? What it was like in the asylum?"

"Kinda. I know it was torturous, but I want to know what it was like in full detail. Everyone else has such vivid memories about everything in their human lives and I can't even remember what the worst years of my life were like."

Max thought for a minute, "Hey. Ever think that maybe visiting the site of an old asylum might jolt your memory?"

"Maybe."

"You up for a road trip?"

"Where?"

"Jersey. When I was thirteen, my friends and I used to try to get to the site of this old abandoned asylum, but we always got too scared... Well, they did. I didn't. So, you up for it?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Max and I came up with a plan, we'd drive there and get there within two to three days.

"Which car should we take?" He asked.

"Well, I don't know if yours can take the speed. Mine's too conspicuous... So are Rose and Emmett's... Um. Let me ask Jasper if I can borrow his car."

Jasper was there within moments. "You're asking if you can borrow my baby?"

I explained the situation to him and he finally caved. "Okay. But I get your car while you're gone. And if my baby gets even a scratch, I'm smashing yours into a tree."

Bella walked in just then and told him, "Be nice, Jazz."

He didn't answer her and just looked at me until I said, "Okay! Fine! You get my baby while we're gone!"

He smiled and held his hand out and I tossed him the keys. "Thanks," he said before grabbing Bella's hand and leaving with her. But before he left, he tossed his car keys to me, which I caught easily.

Max asked, "You ready?"

"Just let me pack."

We packed and loaded everything into the car within minutes, including a camera to see if we could find any ghosts and catch them on tape.

After we had everything, I slid into the driver's seat and Max got into the passenger side and started fiddling with the CD player as soon as I turned the car on.

"MxPx?" I asked.

"Yep," he replied, settling back in his seat. "I thought the song kinda fit."

It did. I realized it as soon as the singing started. Max started singing along. _"Am I the one that's going crazy? I'm so tired of masquerading." _

He held an invisible microphone in front of my face, making me sing the next line. I laughed. _"Why pretend to be so well adjusted? Maybe it's just me and I'm disgusted." _

Max and I sang the rest of the verse together. _"I need a room in a mental penitentiary, so lock me up with maximum security. The doctors say that they don't know what's wrong with me, so strap me down it's time for my lobotomy! Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!"_

Max laughed and took over the chorus._ "The doctors say that I'll be getting out real soon. The doctors say that I've be making big breakthroughs!" _

We finished the rest of the song together and ended it laughing our asses off.

"Bring back any memories?" Max asked.

"Nope."

"Well, hopefully this trip helps."

"I hope so too. I wanna be able to tell everyone that I remember my life, be able to tell stories."

"Well, I know for a fact that your stories will be more interesting than mine."

"Hey, maybe not. I mean, I'm not the spaz with heroin in his system." Funny story about that. See, Max _is_ a total spaz and Carlisle suspects it has something to do with his former diet. After Max entered the real world again after years of seclusion, he didn't stick to the normal "non-vegetarian" diet. He drank the blood of mostly homeless people, who were usually strung out on heroin or cocaine. And Carlisle suspects that somehow the drugs got transferred to his system permanently. I know, it sounds sad, but it's really not. It hasn't affected his health at all. And without it, I wouldn't have my little spazzy Max.

Max just said to my comment, "Your face!"

I laughed and said, "I still love you Max."

"I love you too, babe. Even though you can be really mean sometimes."

I just stuck my tongue out at him, which made us both crack up laughing again.

We drove in silence for the next few songs, Max getting a faraway look in his eye every now and again.

"What're you thinking about?" I asked him.

"This song just reminds me of my old life." We were listening to "Kings of Hollywood."

Max sang along quietly with the chorus. _"The sun was coming up when we were laying down. We felt like kings and we loved that town. The sun was coming up when we were laying low. We felt like kings... were living our dream." _

He was quiet after that, deep in thought. So I said, "You know, you've never told me much about your human life, Max."

He let out a puff of air before saying, "Well, you know I lived in the Bay Area in California, Oakland specifically. I worked at a record store in downtown Berkley, went to lots of shows at Gilman... I'd been in several bands, but none of them ever lasted. I was trying to get a band together when I was changed... I was the outcast at school, my parents moved us to upscale Suburbia. I hated it, hated being different. That's why I worked in Berkley, I felt like I belonged. There's way more punks in downtown than in Suburbia."

"What's your natural hair color?" It was a weird question, but I wanted to know. He dyed it a different color every week or so.

"Blond... I first dyed it when I was in ninth grade, haven't stopped damaging it since." He cracked a smile.

I asked another question. "Do you miss any of it?"

"Of course I miss it. I miss the shows, miss the culture of it all, I miss the music, the sounds... Gilman, the bands that played there. I miss it all." He looked at me. "But I'm glad I was changed 'cause I probably wouldn't have met you otherwise."

I smiled and knew I would be blushing if I were human.

He laughed. "Aww. You're so cute."

I changed the subject. "So, you think we're gonna see any ghosts there?"

He shrugged. "Never know."

I'd never really thought much about the existence of ghosts. I would think they didn't exist, but then again, most people think vampires are a work of fiction.

* * *

We made it to the asylum by nightfall of the next day. It was a really creepy one in northern New Jersey.

I parked the car behind a bush about fifty yards away. There was a full moon, which made it easier to see as we got out of the car and got our gear. I wasn't expecting anything big to happen.

Max took my hand in his. "Ready?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, ready."

He led me towards one of the old buildings, one of about fifty, spread out over several acres. Max whispered, "There's a series of tunnels underneath the buildings, it's how the doctors and nurses got from building to building. Wanna check 'em out."

"I guess." I was starting to get just a bit freaked out.

The front door was locked, but Max picked it easily, and before I knew it, we were in.

It smelled like asbestos and mold, not that we had to worry about that, and the walls were covered in graffiti, including the word "Death" with an arrow pointing to the left.

I took a moment to take it all in, willing myself to remember just a sliver of what had happened to me within walls just like these.

"Anything?" Max asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing."

"Okay, let's start exploring."

He led me down the hallway the death arrow pointed to. I snorted inwardly at the irony of the living dead following the death trail.

There were series of arrows with the word death, all pointing towards one destination, a set of rusty, creaky old stairs that led deep underground, to the series of tunnels underneath the mass of buildings.

We passed by several doors, which I assumed were old patient rooms.

One of them was open, and I peaked inside.

I gasped in horror at the sight of the rusted old bed, stripped of it's mattress and sheets, with a moldy, old yellowed straitjacket thrown haphazardly on it.

I squeezed Max's hand, "C-can we get out of this room?"

"Sure. Can I see if I can get some EVPs first though?" EVPs were Electronic Voice Phenomenon. If you take a tape recorder and ask a series of questions, there's a possibility of getting a voice from beyond the grave when you play it back. Voices unable to be heard otherwise, for humans or vampires.

"Um... I guess," I stuttered.

"I'll be fast."

I watched anxiously as he turned on the tape recorder and asked a series of questions, such as "Is there anybody here with me?"

"Okay, I'm done," he said finally, letting go of my hand and wrapping his arm around me. He knew I was scared, but I also knew he wouldn't let me bail unless I became hysterical. This was too important to me.

We continued down the hall towards the stairs, where a sign stood, warning of the risk of breathing in asbestos and mold.

The stench was so great here that I found myself holding my breath as we descended the stairs and found ourselves underground.

The ground was sticky, and it was pitch black down here, though we could see perfectly.

Max stopped every now and then to ask questions to potential ghosts and take pictures as we moved through the tunnels, occasionally coming across more rusty beds and abandoned electroshock machines, and other torture devices.

It made me sad, to imagine just how much hell these patients went through, fighting their own inner demons. To think that _I_ suffered through this too sent chills up my spine.

Max tightened his grip around me. "You okay, babe?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."

"Any recognition?"

"Nope, still nothing..."

We visited several other buildings, most of which were filled with old patient rooms, but one held the most eerie spot of the whole place- the morgue.

I stopped in my tracks as we passed by it. Some of the metal slabs that once held dead bodies were slid out, other shut and locked.

"Oh my God," I muttered. I was getting more freaked out by the minute.

"C'mon, Alice, let's go."

Max pulled me away from the horror of that room and we continued on our journey.

In another building, we came across another open door, but this was no patient room.

I noticed several filing cabinets along the wall and decided to take a peek. I silently stepped toward the cabinets and opened the top drawer, which squeaked loudly.

There were hundreds, if not thousands, of files and papers and notes on various former patients, yellowed and faded with age.

My eye caught the Bs and despite the unlikelihood of me finding anything, I searched through the files while Max stood behind me, wondering what I was doing.

And that's when I found it, the file I was looking for.

I pulled it out. "Max! Look!"

"What?" He moved next to me to read what the file said. "Is that-"

"It's me!" I breathed. Scrawled on the line that read "Patient's Name" were three names: _Mary Alice Brandon... _

And then the memories invaded my mind. Every last detail of my past life came flooding back. I remembered everything, and the impact caused me to fall to my knees, clutching my head and willing them to go away. I changed my mind! I don't want to know!!!

"Alice?" Max was kneeling beside me as I shook my head violently. "What's wrong?"

"NO!" I screamed. "No! No no no no!!!" I was sobbing by now. My mind flashed back to the old straitjacket and I remembered being tied up in it after a particularly violent vision.

I remembered the rusty electroshock machine and screamed again as I remembered the pain those bastards that called themselves doctors had put me through.

Max had picked me up by now, but I barely registered it, as the memories still rushed through my head.

My life played before my very eyes in little short clips, almost as if I were having vision after vision, except they weren't of the future, but the past.

I saw my parents exchanging that look as they watched their daughter writhing on the ground, screaming and yelling about something that hadn't happened yet.

My mind played a clip of me being forced onto the train, screaming to my parents not to let them take me away! My mother cried, while my father just looked away, refusing to acknowledge me. They were sending me as far away as they possibly could, so they wouldn't have to face the embarrassment of being associated with the crazy daughter.

And then my mind showed me clip after clip after clip of the various methods of torture I'd gone through, electroshock, being soaked in cold water for hours, being locked up in my room for days and never seeing the sun... I remembered it all.

The most vivid memory of all though, was my transformation. The burning pain, the doctor who changed me... He took me from my room late one night, he was the only one who was ever nice to me. I was scared, but then he bit me, and I blacked out. I know I screamed, but no one questioned it, there were screams all the time in the place. I remember thinking, amongst all the pain, that even this, the most intense pain imaginable, was better than everything I had endured throughout my years at the mental penitentiary...

* * *

When I snapped out of it, I was in the backseat of the car, on Max's lap.

My breathing was ragged, and if I had a beating heart it would have been thudding out of my chest.

"Alice? You okay?" Max asked cautiously.

I nodded shakily, still in shock after what just happened.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I-" I struggled to find words to describe what I had just endured. "I remember everything. My mind just exploded! My life was flashing before my eyes..."

I forced myself to breath deeply and rested my head on Max's shoulder. "It was horrible. Absolutely horrible. I remember seeing all those patients who didn't survive the electroshock or committed suicide being carted off to the morgue. I was in the room right across from it..." I trailed off, letting the sobs take over.

Max held me close and rubbed my back. "Shhh. It's okay now. You're safe. Nothing's gonna hurt you again. I'm here..."

It took several long minutes before I calmed down. Neither of us said anything though. We were silent for another minute before he asked, "Wanna go home now?"

I nodded.

"Okay, I'll drive."

I got off his lap and scrambled into the front passenger seat while he slid into the driver's seat and took the keys from me.

As we sped off towards home, I grabbed his hand and said, "Thanks."

"I don't really think you should be thanking me. This was a bad idea." He looked defeated, and I knew he blamed himself for my bad experience.

I squeezed his hand and insisted, "This wasn't a bad idea. I came for the experience, and I got my memories back. That's more than I imagined would happen, I know who I am now. I have stories. So, _thank you_."

He turned his head to smile at me. "You're welcome, Alice."

I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I love you."

"And I love you."

* * *

**A/N**: Hello my faithful readers! =] I'm soooooo sorry for the lack of an update, but I was suffering from some major writer's block. I came up with the idea for this chapter awhile ago, wrote half, and then got stuck. But then I was watching an episode of "Ghost Adventures" and they were at this old adandoned asylum in Northern New Jersey. So, this place actually exists, I just don't know the name 'cause they couldn't say it on the show. But anyhoo, so the episode really helped me with this because that's where I got a lot of the imagery... So, what do you think???

1st song was "Well Adjusted" by MxPx, because it just fit soooooo perfectly! ^_^ And the second one is also by MxPx and it's called "Kings of Hollywood." Both songs are flippin' amazing! So check 'em out!!!

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing, not even the asylum. Well, I own Max, but that's about it. lol.


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